I am supposed to leave the city in the morning, but travel plans are not going as planned, thus far. I will most likely be catching a public bus that will take about 4-5 hours, then an hour from there. The final destination is a all women's owned Argo-Eco farm called "El Yue", where I will be studying the sustainability of the site and working in the medicinal and vegetable gardens. Also to mention: enjoying the natural beauty of the place- jungle, rivers, waterfalls...
El Yue is located in the Southern most Caribbean coast of the country, its below sea level, and to my knowledge there is no running water, or electricity.
Looks like some cool katz posted a video (for our viewing pleasure), these will be my living conditions, not too bad, eh?
Along the way, I plan on stopping in Limon and Puerto Viejo and if I have it my way, I may leave for the weekend to check out another farm called "Casa de Mujeres", and celebrating the 4th of July on an island in Panama, Bocas del Toro.
I am excited and a bit nervous, traveling all that way alone. Wish me luck and send me good thoughts. I will be back in 14 days. Ciao!
"Love those who love you."
-A.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
City Scapes: Cultural Center, San Jose
In one of the main parks downtown- the infamous cows- only these ones are pro-vegan. Yeah babe.
Museo del Jade
Tuesday I took a day to walk downtown and check out the Museo del Jade. The collection of artifacts was impressive, and I found a lot of the writing describing the artifacts to be interesting and seemingly well supported. The small red clay print-makers were used for body painting, around the torso, arms and legs. Of the owl... stunning.
"Protector spirits were represented in pre-Columbian jade carvings assigned to each person at the moment of his or her birth. In most cases these were birds or mammals present in their natural environment. Birds represented fertility (the eagle) or the spirit which lead the souls to the world of the dead (the vulture)."
"Shamans used psychotropic sustances to induce hallucinations, and they meditated to attain a trance state. This enabled them to contact the spiritual world to explain the nature of things and events, journey to the world of the dead, and to perform healing."
Montezuma
Montezuma is located in the Nicoya Peninsula on the Pacific Coast. I traveled out of the city through Alajuela, through San Ramon, and to Puntaranas where a friend and I took a large ferry. Puntaranas is a port town, known for its fisheries and fisherman, the entire place smelled of fish. The ferry from Puntaranas took about 2 hours. On board they sold national beers and meriendas (traditional snacks). Arriving in Paquera, the drive to Montezuma took about an hour. Montezuma is one of my favorite places I have yet seen in this country. Nestled between jungle and beach, its a slow pace beach town with pristine beaches, vegan cafe's, three waterfalls, hiking trails and clean quaint beach hotels, cabinas and hostels.
Friday night was spent on the beach, enjoying the fresh air.
Saturday morning I woke up to howler monkeys passing through the trees outside my window, then ate breakfast at a cafe called "Organico".
I wanted to see the Montezuma waterfalls, so convinced a friend to join me for the hike. To get there, you have to cross a river, and follow the rock and root laden bank through the forest. It was a bit difficult, and of course the trail isn't an actual trail. Just when I began to wonder if we were headed the right way, a local Tico emerged from the woods, barefoot, and asked if we wanted to see the waterfalls. He said to follow him- so we did, and marveled at how gracefully he walked, and how his Fred Flinstone look-a-like feet seemed to wrap around the roots on the bank of the river. He spoke of tranquility and peace, and would stop along the way to stare at the river and look into the trees. The view at the first waterfall is incredible, and the hike to the second is challenging and not for the faint of heart. At one point I was thinking, "yeah so I am hanging off some rocks by a rope that was hopefully secured by someone who knows what they are doing," falling was not an option of course. Some people get half way there, see the decent to the second waterfall, and turn around. It was worth the climb, once there I sat on the rocks and watched some of the locals jump into the swimming hole behind me, grabbing vines from the trees and dropping in. Some jumped from the top of the waterfall (about 40 feet), but surprisingly I didn't. Perhaps my adrenaline junkie was sleeping, or it was what was being dumped into the river upstream, and the thought of a mis-landing on a rock and having to drive 6 hours to get help- if that was even possible, kept my feet on the ground.
That afternoon I read on the beach, where unexpectedly a huge wave washed over me, and my camera was went dead for the next two days (luckily it dried out!!!).
Sunday I left for Mal Pais and Santa Teresa, where Chad, the friend was eager to catch some of the legendary waves. Santa Teresa is a straight up surfer community. Surfers from all over the world converge here, wake up early in the morning, sleep the afternoons, and head back before dusk.
Its sad the amount of garbage on the beaches here, which is strangely overlooked(ignored) by many, perhaps because the natural beauty of the place is so captivating. I spent 2 hours collecting plastic, mounted it in a pile to stare at the mass of it all, then drug it to a garage bin (recycling bins not available). In the evening I got some pool table lessons from Chad.
Monday I hiked a bit, and photographed more of the collections systems. Spoke with some of the locals, and then headed back to Paquera to catch the ferry to Puntarenas, where I then took a bus to San Jose. On the bus I sat next to a brilliant little girl from Columbia who was eager to listen to my ipod and peer over at my book, when she then told me in Spanish that her favorite subject in school is English and that she has been learning it for three years (though she refused to speak a word of it). We giggled at the large Tico men selling potato chips and plantitios at the stops, drank some pear nectar, and watched the art collector carefully board the bus with arm fulls of artwork, and put on a respirator mask and stick her head out the window. I have no idea what was going on here- she was either afraid of our air, or protecting us from hers.
Friday night was spent on the beach, enjoying the fresh air.
Saturday morning I woke up to howler monkeys passing through the trees outside my window, then ate breakfast at a cafe called "Organico".
I wanted to see the Montezuma waterfalls, so convinced a friend to join me for the hike. To get there, you have to cross a river, and follow the rock and root laden bank through the forest. It was a bit difficult, and of course the trail isn't an actual trail. Just when I began to wonder if we were headed the right way, a local Tico emerged from the woods, barefoot, and asked if we wanted to see the waterfalls. He said to follow him- so we did, and marveled at how gracefully he walked, and how his Fred Flinstone look-a-like feet seemed to wrap around the roots on the bank of the river. He spoke of tranquility and peace, and would stop along the way to stare at the river and look into the trees. The view at the first waterfall is incredible, and the hike to the second is challenging and not for the faint of heart. At one point I was thinking, "yeah so I am hanging off some rocks by a rope that was hopefully secured by someone who knows what they are doing," falling was not an option of course. Some people get half way there, see the decent to the second waterfall, and turn around. It was worth the climb, once there I sat on the rocks and watched some of the locals jump into the swimming hole behind me, grabbing vines from the trees and dropping in. Some jumped from the top of the waterfall (about 40 feet), but surprisingly I didn't. Perhaps my adrenaline junkie was sleeping, or it was what was being dumped into the river upstream, and the thought of a mis-landing on a rock and having to drive 6 hours to get help- if that was even possible, kept my feet on the ground.
That afternoon I read on the beach, where unexpectedly a huge wave washed over me, and my camera was went dead for the next two days (luckily it dried out!!!).
Sunday I left for Mal Pais and Santa Teresa, where Chad, the friend was eager to catch some of the legendary waves. Santa Teresa is a straight up surfer community. Surfers from all over the world converge here, wake up early in the morning, sleep the afternoons, and head back before dusk.
Its sad the amount of garbage on the beaches here, which is strangely overlooked(ignored) by many, perhaps because the natural beauty of the place is so captivating. I spent 2 hours collecting plastic, mounted it in a pile to stare at the mass of it all, then drug it to a garage bin (recycling bins not available). In the evening I got some pool table lessons from Chad.
Monday I hiked a bit, and photographed more of the collections systems. Spoke with some of the locals, and then headed back to Paquera to catch the ferry to Puntarenas, where I then took a bus to San Jose. On the bus I sat next to a brilliant little girl from Columbia who was eager to listen to my ipod and peer over at my book, when she then told me in Spanish that her favorite subject in school is English and that she has been learning it for three years (though she refused to speak a word of it). We giggled at the large Tico men selling potato chips and plantitios at the stops, drank some pear nectar, and watched the art collector carefully board the bus with arm fulls of artwork, and put on a respirator mask and stick her head out the window. I have no idea what was going on here- she was either afraid of our air, or protecting us from hers.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Madera Exótica: En Alajuela
Friday I went to a art and design factory in Alajuela with some students from Universidad Veritas. The factory, or fabrica, makes fine handcrafted, ecologically sensitive, and natural wood products, for home, body, and art for art's sake.
I was impressed with the working conditions and the diversity of products and artists. The workers get 30 minute coffee breaks (and have local organic, shade grown, knock your socks off good coffee) and nearly hour lunch breaks. The landscaping was beautiful; ponds, gardens, and areas set up with left over fruit for tropical birds. Orchids and bamboo grew everywhere. From the guy who does imaging for laser cutting, to the sculptor making large scale works, to the women sitting together at large tables listening to musica latina, and making beautiful and creative necklaces, the place had a wonderfully peaceful and artistic vibe. Loved ones, you have some goodies coming your way- my first purchases here.
Culture Jam
I finished the book "Culture Jam: How to Reverse America's Suicidal Consumer Binge- And Why We Must", by Kalle Lasn (Founder of Adbusters Magazine). This is a more political and extreme entry, but it is needed. Please do not be defensive of your destructive choices. We all make them sometimes, and it feels almost unavoidable in our country, to not consume or support corporations that take money from your land, time from your bodies, attention from your children, but you can begin today by choosing not to support companies that you do not appreciate taking these things. Fat Cats growing richer, while our food system and local economy grow weaker. Food chains do NOTHING to contribute to our enrichment, or that of the planet.
I am so sickened by walking down the streets and seeing mass installations of fucked up fast food chains. The pollution they put out, the raping of the soil and food system that they stand for. The money they steal. The actual cost that is not accounted for- the drain their products put on human bodies, and our health care system. The crap they call food. The way every time they open a grease factory, the local business suffers and fails. Bye bye mom and pop shops next door, that actually serve legit, local and fresh food.
All I thought of last night, on my way home, watching the sadly obese walk out of KFC is climbing up the roof of the place and painting a skull over Cornel Sanders face. Grease kills. Corporate America rapes and kills. Don't be a slave to the consumerism. Every time you choose to spritz lemon in your water instead of opening a Coke, every time you choose NOT to stop for fast food (and pack a lunch), you are making a choice for the better of yourself and the world. You are voting with that choice. You do make a difference, everyday.
Here are some words or Kalle's, and some of mine in-be-tween, along with some links.
L'Chaim! To your health!
"A day in your life:
8 AM: You are biting into a hashbrown from McDonalds. The grease shines on your chin like baby oil. You are reminded of your childhood.
WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW: One out of every 4 restaurant-prepared breakfasts in the US is eaten at McDonalds. Every three hours a new McDonald's opens somewhere in the world. The company spends over $1 BILLION a year on advertising."
The food is shit. Grease. Left over animal products. Genetically modified foods. HEAVILY processed and sprayed with herbicides and pesticides and more chemicals. 50 % of the calories in a big mac come from straight up Fat. The oil they use for frying their foods is so altered many doctors agree that some bodies can simply NOT process it. Hence cellulite. Hence artery clogging. Colon cancer. If you disagree, or would like more information, please check out "Diet for a New America", "Diet for a Small Planet", "Fast Food Nation", and "Deep Economy". All these books have changed my life.
"9:30 AM: You are pushing a card down the asile of your neighborhood supermarket, past little pyramids of shiny apples and peppers. You marvel at the food system able to deliver asparagus in Feb. You toss a nice ripe red tomato in the basket.
WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW: These vegetables were pumped full of chemicals to enable them to grow in poor soil and survive the voyage to market. The apples and peppers shine because of thick, PETROLEUM-based waxes. The nice red tomato, a "Flavr Savr", is genetically speaking part flounder. (The technology for this process is owned by chemical giant Monsanto)."
The amount of pesticides and other chemicals in our food is staggering. GO ORGANIC. For the future. For your body. For your health. For deceasing your chances of cancer and of cancer in our environment. Go organic for the rivers, lakes, streams. For the animals. Go organic for the mother who is nursing her baby next door, and who's American breast milk contains 4 times the amount of DDT than what the USDA and FDA deem safe. Go organic because you care about yourself, others, and or your environment."
http://www.nrdc.org/breastmilk/chem2.asp
"Cash crops like cocoa, sugar, coffee, and bananas- generally are grown to supply the First World- pull more and more land away from traditional food crops and fail to protect the soil, often leading to famine. The food you eat comes from where ever it can be grown the most cheaply.
Americans consume more calories per capita, more snacks between meals and more sugar-rich sodas than anyone else. Fat makes up almost 40 percent of all the calories we consume.
9:00PM: Evening snack of diet Coke.
WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW: Flight attendants sometimes use diet Coke to unclog sinks in commercial jets. "
For every diet soda you drink you increase you chance of staying over weight by 41%. Maybe these numbers are debatable, but medical journals around the world are being flooded with long term studies about how horrible these chemicals are for your body. Slowing metabolism and messing with internal systems. When breast cancer cysts are removed- they have the trace chemicals of these "sugar free" products. Don't drink that shit. It's unnatural, its unsafe, you are not going to be skinner. You are not saving calories.
http://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20050613/drink-more-diet-soda-gain-more-weight
I am so sickened by walking down the streets and seeing mass installations of fucked up fast food chains. The pollution they put out, the raping of the soil and food system that they stand for. The money they steal. The actual cost that is not accounted for- the drain their products put on human bodies, and our health care system. The crap they call food. The way every time they open a grease factory, the local business suffers and fails. Bye bye mom and pop shops next door, that actually serve legit, local and fresh food.
All I thought of last night, on my way home, watching the sadly obese walk out of KFC is climbing up the roof of the place and painting a skull over Cornel Sanders face. Grease kills. Corporate America rapes and kills. Don't be a slave to the consumerism. Every time you choose to spritz lemon in your water instead of opening a Coke, every time you choose NOT to stop for fast food (and pack a lunch), you are making a choice for the better of yourself and the world. You are voting with that choice. You do make a difference, everyday.
Here are some words or Kalle's, and some of mine in-be-tween, along with some links.
L'Chaim! To your health!
"A day in your life:
8 AM: You are biting into a hashbrown from McDonalds. The grease shines on your chin like baby oil. You are reminded of your childhood.
WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW: One out of every 4 restaurant-prepared breakfasts in the US is eaten at McDonalds. Every three hours a new McDonald's opens somewhere in the world. The company spends over $1 BILLION a year on advertising."
The food is shit. Grease. Left over animal products. Genetically modified foods. HEAVILY processed and sprayed with herbicides and pesticides and more chemicals. 50 % of the calories in a big mac come from straight up Fat. The oil they use for frying their foods is so altered many doctors agree that some bodies can simply NOT process it. Hence cellulite. Hence artery clogging. Colon cancer. If you disagree, or would like more information, please check out "Diet for a New America", "Diet for a Small Planet", "Fast Food Nation", and "Deep Economy". All these books have changed my life.
"9:30 AM: You are pushing a card down the asile of your neighborhood supermarket, past little pyramids of shiny apples and peppers. You marvel at the food system able to deliver asparagus in Feb. You toss a nice ripe red tomato in the basket.
WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW: These vegetables were pumped full of chemicals to enable them to grow in poor soil and survive the voyage to market. The apples and peppers shine because of thick, PETROLEUM-based waxes. The nice red tomato, a "Flavr Savr", is genetically speaking part flounder. (The technology for this process is owned by chemical giant Monsanto)."
The amount of pesticides and other chemicals in our food is staggering. GO ORGANIC. For the future. For your body. For your health. For deceasing your chances of cancer and of cancer in our environment. Go organic for the rivers, lakes, streams. For the animals. Go organic for the mother who is nursing her baby next door, and who's American breast milk contains 4 times the amount of DDT than what the USDA and FDA deem safe. Go organic because you care about yourself, others, and or your environment."
http://www.nrdc.org/breastmilk/chem2.asp
"Cash crops like cocoa, sugar, coffee, and bananas- generally are grown to supply the First World- pull more and more land away from traditional food crops and fail to protect the soil, often leading to famine. The food you eat comes from where ever it can be grown the most cheaply.
Americans consume more calories per capita, more snacks between meals and more sugar-rich sodas than anyone else. Fat makes up almost 40 percent of all the calories we consume.
9:00PM: Evening snack of diet Coke.
WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW: Flight attendants sometimes use diet Coke to unclog sinks in commercial jets. "
For every diet soda you drink you increase you chance of staying over weight by 41%. Maybe these numbers are debatable, but medical journals around the world are being flooded with long term studies about how horrible these chemicals are for your body. Slowing metabolism and messing with internal systems. When breast cancer cysts are removed- they have the trace chemicals of these "sugar free" products. Don't drink that shit. It's unnatural, its unsafe, you are not going to be skinner. You are not saving calories.
http://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20050613/drink-more-diet-soda-gain-more-weight
Monday, June 16, 2008
Sierpe, Bahia Drake & Isla del Caño
This weekends trip was nothing short of amazing. The trip was headed by Fabien, a master diver who works for a biological reserve team that counts fish in environmentally pressured areas. The journey to Serpia, via tour bus, took 8 hours. The group contained two students from Northern France, who are studying at The University of Costa Rica, a young female couple who mostly kept to themselves and bounced back conversation in Spanish and French, two friendly Ticos, one who is a world traveler and shared stories of Thailand and Vietnam, Alejandra (who is a the beautiful Tica I met at Veritas, who just earned her doctorates), and myself. After the long bus ride we arrived to a set of *Cabinas- which was walking distance to the port. We slept right away- and woke at 6AM the next morning, ate a full breakfast (queso blanco, gallo pinto, eggs, pan, piña, & juice), checked our equipment and loaded into two boats. We then proceeded to go down the Manglares, which was one of the most amazing experiences of my life, and there was much time to enjoy it, we took the river all the way down to the mouth where it meets the ocean, and proceeded to the island. When I was going through the Manglares, I kept thinking "I have been wanting to see this my entire life, and here I am!" Below is a video of on the way, when the boat captain had to return some borrowed gas. I got to see how people live there in the Manglares... their "drive ways" are water ways that you have to push through in a boat. Amazing. (Sorry it is quick- I didn't want to offend them by taking pictures).
Back to the island: it was explained to me that one thing that is special about Isle del Caño, is that it is part of a Thermic Globe, an area where the temperature and environment is just right, nearly year round, to support an extremely diverse amount of wildlife.
All of the dives were amazing. Imagine the best reef tank you have ever seen, and imagine being the size of a fish and swimming in that tank- that is how big the reef was- but endless. The parrot fish were half the size of me, and two of the sharks I saw where the same size as I, and there were just white tipsI!!! The coral was stunning and so were the fish. While all the dives were amazing my favorite was Bahia Diablo (Devil's Bay), though it was a deep dive (28 M) and hurt my ears- it was worth it.
The travel home was intense, to say the least. Some of the roads were washed out from the rain, so we had to go slow, and the entire trip home took more than 9 hours.
On other observations: the flowers here are of course amazing, as all the vegetation. Some locals don't call it the "rainy season", but "the green season", which it is. Everything breathes life, and while in the jungle, I understand why scientists call this place "The Lungs of the Earth". As in many parts of Mexico, you don't flush t.p. here because the water system is often a pipe that flows directly into the river, or simple filtration system of sand and rock. The natural environment used to be able to absorb this waste, but with increase in population and tourism, the strain on the environment here is visual prevalent. The master divers talked of the damage being done to the rivers- toxic seaweed that grows due to soap from the large hotels (fish eat it and die) and there is a mass amount of pesticide run off (from North American owned banana plantations such as Dole and Del Monte). Many locals talk about not having clean water available. What first appeared to me as heroically simple water collections systems for environmental reasons, I now realize have a lot more to do with the fact that they do not have water available to them in any other way, and are usually not taking precautions in what happens to the waste water because have not the money or knowledge. When I asked locals in this area about the water many spoke of concern for huge hotels and tourist attractions going up. Yes, they are productive in a economical sense, but it is not the locals who are reaping benefits. For example: a natural aquifer not being available to the people (lack of government funding), and yet a private investor comes in and offer millions of dollars to tap the water. The government usually takes the mone, because they need it. One man said to me: "It is not good to know the water below you, that you have been waiting to have access to, is being used up by a large hotel that just further pollutes the river." At the cabina I stayed at the waste water was pumped literally directly behind the cabinas, into an off skirt of the river- which is drying up. In the last picture you can see the outdoor sink, where river water is pumped back up to use for washing equipment and floors.
Friday, June 13, 2008
When it Rains it Pours
Literally. There is no such thing as a misting or light rain in the wet season in Costa Rica. Today has been a personal struggle, but the day is only half over, so it can only improve if I will it so. Wanting to express myself in another language, but coming to barriers, dealing with strange looks and questions (the same ones over and over again), struggling with proper verb tenses in Spanish (its difficult, to say the least). I'm also experiencing horrible allergies, and I never have in my life. Everything smells like mildew- mold, I am sure its the spores. This morning I had an exam and this afternoon, I leave for the biological reserve of Isla del Caño, which is stated (by National Geographic) has having biological diversity similar to the Galapagos Islands. I checked 4 scuba diving websites, and it rates in the top 10 on all of them. This excursion feels like a once in a lifetime deal, it taking more than 6 hours to get there on bus, then 1-1/12 by boat. I am sure it will be fantastic. Pura Vida my beloved readers.
Monday, June 9, 2008
Continuim
So much has happened. School takes up much of my time, but I am enjoying it. I made a few new friends, and have been paying close attention to the environment around me.
This weekend I needed a break from the city and smog, and took a trip to Playa Hermosa, which is a 2 1/2 hour bus ride from downtown San Jose. I have ridden in some crowed public buses before, but I have a new idea of what constitutes "personal space". The buses are filled to the brim, and since it rains so much and people don't want to get wet, they keep the windows up, making it over 100 degrees inside. I tried to read as much as possible (Currently: Deep Economy: The Wealth of Communities and the Durable Future). In between I observed the small farms on the country side, and practiced my Spanish with a kind gentleman who is a nurse in San Jose.
It is amazing at how quickly temperature (and complete climate) can change here, by traveling just short distances. Playa Hermosa was a full 10+ degrees warmer than San Jose the entire weekend, even in the evenings, and the humidity never lets up. Playa Hermosa is a small town known for its waves and quaintness. There were so many mangos on the trees there, you eat for free, if you have the patient enough to get them down (I got some pointers). I photographed the black sand beach, fed the iguanas some of the over-ripened watermelon I bought on the side of the road. I watched the surfers catch huge waves, sat quiet and bird watched (spotted a Macaw!), followed the little trails of wild hermit crabs, and stood at the edge of a some rivers and lagoons, where many crocodiles live. From a distance, I saw one croc that had me by a couple hundred pounds or more.
Since it is the rainy season, it is unsafe to drink the water anywhere below or at sea level. Even the locals buy bottled water, and unfortunately many plastic bottles congests the beaches. When I asked the locals about the recycling, the ones who are conscious of that is is actually being done in town, told me that it is very difficult to get others to join in and that "it is just not part of the culture here". Many places had modest recycling bins, but not one was filled with recyclables, and I made an effort to check out every single one I saw. In 14 days there is going to be a "Reuse, Recycle, Reduce" event at Playa Hermosa, that has been organized by a few expats living in the town, and I am thinking of returning to be a part of the beach clean up, document the event, and take the opportunity to see where the plastic and garbage is being sent here.
I also taking careful notice of the various water collection systems that people have employed themselves, without any fancy equipment, as to insure clean and safe water for their families.
While I am told that much of Costa Rica can grow food year round, I have not seen many small plot gardens in the city, none at all actually, though I have been keeping a close eye out.
This weekend I needed a break from the city and smog, and took a trip to Playa Hermosa, which is a 2 1/2 hour bus ride from downtown San Jose. I have ridden in some crowed public buses before, but I have a new idea of what constitutes "personal space". The buses are filled to the brim, and since it rains so much and people don't want to get wet, they keep the windows up, making it over 100 degrees inside. I tried to read as much as possible (Currently: Deep Economy: The Wealth of Communities and the Durable Future). In between I observed the small farms on the country side, and practiced my Spanish with a kind gentleman who is a nurse in San Jose.
It is amazing at how quickly temperature (and complete climate) can change here, by traveling just short distances. Playa Hermosa was a full 10+ degrees warmer than San Jose the entire weekend, even in the evenings, and the humidity never lets up. Playa Hermosa is a small town known for its waves and quaintness. There were so many mangos on the trees there, you eat for free, if you have the patient enough to get them down (I got some pointers). I photographed the black sand beach, fed the iguanas some of the over-ripened watermelon I bought on the side of the road. I watched the surfers catch huge waves, sat quiet and bird watched (spotted a Macaw!), followed the little trails of wild hermit crabs, and stood at the edge of a some rivers and lagoons, where many crocodiles live. From a distance, I saw one croc that had me by a couple hundred pounds or more.
Since it is the rainy season, it is unsafe to drink the water anywhere below or at sea level. Even the locals buy bottled water, and unfortunately many plastic bottles congests the beaches. When I asked the locals about the recycling, the ones who are conscious of that is is actually being done in town, told me that it is very difficult to get others to join in and that "it is just not part of the culture here". Many places had modest recycling bins, but not one was filled with recyclables, and I made an effort to check out every single one I saw. In 14 days there is going to be a "Reuse, Recycle, Reduce" event at Playa Hermosa, that has been organized by a few expats living in the town, and I am thinking of returning to be a part of the beach clean up, document the event, and take the opportunity to see where the plastic and garbage is being sent here.
I also taking careful notice of the various water collection systems that people have employed themselves, without any fancy equipment, as to insure clean and safe water for their families.
While I am told that much of Costa Rica can grow food year round, I have not seen many small plot gardens in the city, none at all actually, though I have been keeping a close eye out.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
The Wet Season (Winter)
It is winter here, the wet season.
Today I walked to the edge of a mountain,
Gazed into the foggy fern gully jungle,
Ate a magic berry of rojo,
did Yoga in the rain,
Listening to earth people
make noise
observed
and listened
as closely to the earth,
as I did to others speak.
Sunday, June 1, 2008
The Next Step
It's been decided that after today no English will be spoken to me at all, unless I talk to one of you on the phone, have an emergency, or need information that I couldn't otherwise get. I'll be walking around with my dictionary all of the time. Dork style.
It's nice outside today- a slight breeze, lot's of song birds, warm air...
I should go for a run, and then treat myself to a long walk and lunch afterwards.
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